A SUCCESSFUL police operation in Macclesfield is being hailed a shining example to show constabularies nationwide 'how it's done'.

Training inspectors marched into town on a fact-finding mission for a meeting to discuss the Thornton Square operation - a no-nonsense assault on youth disturbance.

A minibus filled with representatives from forces across the country, especially in the north of England, met with councillors and residents to discuss the initiative.

Their brief was to pick up on the strengths of the force, which resulted in Macclesfield's first anti-social behaviour orders being dished out in respect of five yobs who terrorised the peaceful community, and to use them in training.

The Thornton Square affair, which involved a team of officers working on the case for 18 months, led to the gang being banned from the area for five years.

Residents and traders lives were made a misery for months by the five young men, who were also the first in the town to be subject to an ASBO.

Their anti-social behaviour included being verbally abusive and threatening, stealing from the shops, behaving drunkenly and urinating in the street.

But the police operation used to clinch successful convictions and the manner in which it was carried out has been rewarded by being highlighted as a model to other constabularies across the country.

It is now being scrutinised by inspectors from as far as Cumbria and London as an example of how to run similar operations.

The case in Macclesfield was unusual as it involved five ASBOs where usually just one or two are put before the courts.

Inspector Martin Forshaw of Macclesfield Police said: "We have been held up as an example of good practice and we would like that model to be used in the future.

"The officers and partners worked extremely hard on the case and a lot of progress was made.

"The management course on which it was used was extensive and very important in bringing inspectors into thinking about strategic aims.

"Each group had to review certain parts of that operation so it was broken down and scrutinised from start to finish.

"It has been rigorously analysed and has passed the test.

"I am totally committed to this style of activities as the way forward in resolving situations like this," he added.

Inspector Richard Vernon from Cumbria police was impressed with what he saw on the fact-finding mission to the infamous square.

"The application for the ASBOs was obviously successful as a significant initiative and the people there seem to be a lot happier now," he said.